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This week a Parliamentary inquiry into the use of Immigration Detention was launched, and will run until October. Chaired by Sarah Teather MP, the inquiry will examine the use of detention in the UK and focus on conditions in the centres, the impact on individual detainees and their families, the wider financial and social consequences, how detention is used in other countries, and the future role of detention within the immigration system. This is the first such parliamentary inquiry focusing on detention and it’s a really important opportunity for all visitors groups. Making a submission:Submissions are invited from a range of stakeholders including organisations working with detainees and former/current detainees themselves. This is a really good opportunity for visitors groups across the country to put forward views and evidence on detention where you visit. The Panel overseeing the Inquiry are understanding that small organisations may not have ‘comprehensive evidence’ in the form of statistics, hard data etc but would welcome our views on the basis of the expertise that we have. Visitors Groups are likely to be an important component of the Inquiry. The Detention Forum will be producing a pack to help with submissions. The deadline for submission of evidence is 1st October. Do contact us to find out how you can contribute - there is likely to be a lot happening on this between now and October and we will keep you updated.There will also be a series of hearings, the first of which is on the 17th July at which Detention Action will give evidence.